


Cuts and Coverups

by easternCriminal



Series: Heart and Soul [1]
Category: His Dark Materials - Philip Pullman, Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (2018)
Genre: Familial Bonds, Gen, Oneshot, daemon AU, hurt and comfort kind of
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-02
Updated: 2019-01-02
Packaged: 2019-10-03 04:58:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,071
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17277503
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/easternCriminal/pseuds/easternCriminal
Summary: Miles gets hurt and he goes to his Uncle for helptakes place before the movie





	Cuts and Coverups

Miles slipped up the familiar fire escape, keeping his hand firmly closed into a fist. Anavaino was ahead of him in her raccoon form, already working on opening in the window. It was getting dark out, and he knew that his dad was going to start worrying, but he didn’t want to face his dad about this right now. He didn’t need a lecture.

“Coming by unannounced?” Asked a female voice from somewhere above, and Miles glanced up to see a dark blur hop down the stairs to greet him on his way up. “That’s unusual, even for you Miles.”

“Sorry Nitimi, but it’s a… special circumstance. Is that alright? Uncle Aaron isn’t busy, is he?” Nitmi hopped onto his shoulder, careful to stand on his shirt, and peered at his clenched hand, nose twitching.

“Of course it’s alright. You know we love having you two over.” She turned to his face and looked at his scratches.“But it looks like this isn’t a normal visit this time.” Nitimi was a tortoiseshell cat, small and lithe and only just a little uncomfortable and lopsided feeling to have on his shoulder. Her tail permanently had a crook in it and one of her ears had been cut somehow. One scar ran from shoulder blade to shoulder blade that she seemed quite proud of but refused to tell him or Ana where she’d got it from.

Miles reached the window and entered Uncle Aaron’s apartment. The dim lighting that he was used was instead replaced by the bright overhead normal lights. Anavaino was resting on the tv as a kestrel, fussing with her feathers while Aaron paced the room. His head lifted up as soon as Miles and Nitimi entered, concern evident in his eyes.

“Miles! Ava wouldn’t tell what’s wrong, what happened?” Aaron rushed over to Miles, gripping him by the shoulders and looking him up and down, taking in the scratches and the bruise starting to form on his jaw, grabbing his clenched hand and bringing it up to the light. Despite his best attempts, red blood was slipping through his fingers and dripping onto the floor and onto Aaron’s hand. “Let’s get you to the bathroom.”

Holding his hand over the sink, Miles slowly opened his hand, hissing as the cut reopened itself, the blood dribbling onto the sink. Aaron let out a low whistle.

“That’s a nice one you’ve got there. We’re going to have to clean it first, so this isn’t going to feel too nice.” He glanced over at Ana, who was still in her kestrel form sitting on Miles’ head. “Ana, this is definitely going to be unpleasant, so just be ready for that.”

“Pfft, we can handle it.” Ana said casually, though she started to rustle her feathers again anxiously. Quietly, with the low sounds of some television show still on in the background, Aaron go to work on the cut. When he applied the antibacterial wipes Miles sucked in a sharp breath and Ana fluttered a bit and shifted into a lizard, sliding under Miles shirt. As he began to wrap some bandages around it Miles looked up at Aaron, head cocked to the side a little.

“Aren’t you gonna ask me what happened?” He asked tentatively, and out of the corner of his eye he saw Nitimi flick her tail.

“Miles, how you go hurt is your business. If you want to tell me, that’s great, but I ain’t gonna pressure you or anything.”

“We respect you and your autonomy. Everyone has their secrets.” Nitimi added.

“I think I want to talk about it. Because I know I can’t talk to dad about it.” Miles said, rubbing a thumb over the new, sterile bandage.

“Then I’ll be happy to listen.”

“Me and my friends, we were playing a game of pick up and then… then these kids came in a tried and to like, take over the court for themselves. I mean, I wouldn’t have minded if they joined in, that’s what pick ups about, but they wanted to take it over. So we were like, no, and then they started to throw fists, so we started to fight back because self defense. And then one of the guys pulled out a knife and, like, he was totally going for one of my friend’s daemons, so I lunged forward and grabbed the knife, but I grabbed it by the sharp edge. I, uh, _think_ we technically won? But no one really wanted to play a game anymore after that. And then I came here.” He flexed his hand a little. “Please don’t tell dad.”

“Miles, when have you ever known me to turn around and tell your dad about anything?” He gave a smile and opened up one of his drawers.

“I just don’t want my dad to think I’m getting into fights.”

“Then this shoulder help.” Aaron brought out a small little disk, about the size and shape of a hockey puck, and unscrewed the lid, dipping his finger onto the contents. “I used to use this all the time after a good fight. I mean, an occasional cut can happen in real life. Tell your dad you fell on some glass or something. Use this to cover up the scratches and stuff on your face.” Miles peered at the item.

“Is that… make up?”

“Concealer, Miles. You can keep this one, our skin tones are similar enough.” Aaron’s smile widened. “It’s good to get into a little trouble sometimes.”

“As long as you two think before you jump.” Nimiti inserted.

“Of course we will! We always do!” Ana replied indignantly, poking her small lizard head out from under Mile’s shirt collar.

“Miles,” Uncle Aaron put his hand on his shoulder, smiling gently. “...I’m glad. That you felt safe enough here to come over tonight.” Mile’s phone vibrated and he rolled his eyes while his Uncle gave a small tut. “It’s getting late, your dad will be wondering where you are. Do you need my to walk you home or…”

“We got it.” Ana leapt out of Miles shirt and shifted into a timber wolf. “Thank you though.”

“Anytime. Walk home safe you two.”

“See you later.” Nitimi chirped as Miles and Ana left through the window, sending a quick thumbs up before the pair headed home, already brainstorming what kind of story they were going to tell his dad and Lavnik.

**Author's Note:**

> Miles - Anavaino - Unsettled  
> Aaron - Nitimi - toroiseshell cat  
> Jefferson - Lavnik - doberman
> 
> I hope you enjoyed it! Have a lovely day!


End file.
